On Wednesday, Lansing Judge Clinton Canady III said he was dismissing the suit under his motion because he felt he had no authority to tell District Judge Theresa Brennan what to do because she is no longer a chief judge, Howell attorney Thomas Kizer said.

"When I left there, I felt like I'd kissed my sister because there was no pleasure in it, but there's a good relationship," Kizer said. "The good news ... is that I believe this independent judge was persuaded of the importance of transparency for the benefit of the public. …

"Transparency is going to help all of us to monitor our courts and, truthfully, it will help the judges to be better judges because if they know we're watching, they're going to be more mindful," he added.

Kizer's next step, if he wishes to pursue the lawsuit again, is to file a request for superintending control with the Michigan Court of Appeals.

Superintending control basically gives a higher court ruling power over a lower court's rulings.

Kizer said he plans to pursue that remedy if he receives no response to a letter he wrote to Livingston County Chief Circuit Judge David Reader on Thursday. In that letter, Kizer said Canady expressed "strong concern that the 'public' (like me) was expressly denied" access to recordings he called "public records."

In his letter, Kizer asked Reader to provide the public the right to request, view and purchase a copy of judicial proceedings open to the public and to set a reasonable fee for such a purchase.

"If you will make this commitment, I will not file further action in the Court of Appeals," Kizer wrote. "Please do not take this as a threat. I just want this to end but not by 'submission' to the directives of the court."

Messages to Reader seeking comment were not returned as of Friday.

Kizer said Seward mentioned to the court that the local judiciary had a new order addressing the public's access to taped court proceedings, but he was not aware of details.

Canady was assigned the case after the local bench recused itself from hearing it.